May 2013

1

Switzerland: Maurice Tornay becomes president of the Council of State of Valais and Thomas Heiniger president of the government of Zürich.

2

Agüero

Honduras: Mireya Agüero is sworn in as foreign minister.
United States: President Barack Obama nominates Penny Pritzker as commerce secretary. On May 13 Cameron Kerry is named to be acting secretary from June 1 until Pritzker's confirmation.

3

La Grenade

Grenada: Governor-General Sir Carlyle Glean leaves office. The president of the Senate, Lawrence Joseph, is acting in the interim until the new governor-general, Cécile La Grenade, is sworn in on May 7.

4

United States: Former governor of Indiana (1973-81) and secretary of health and human services (1985-89) Otis R. Bowen dies.

5

Austria: In state elections in Salzburg, the Austrian People's Party wins 29% of the vote (11 of 36 seats), the Social Democratic Party 23.8% (9), the Greens 20.2% (7), the Freedom Party of Austria 17% (6), and Team Stronach 8.3% (3). Turnout is 71%.
French Polynesia: In the second round of parliamentary elections, Tahoeraa Huiraatira wins 45.1% of the vote (38 of 57 seats), the Union for Democracy 29.3% (11), and A Ti'a Porinetia 25.6% (8). Turnout is 72.8%. On May 17 the parliament elects Gaston Flosse (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) as president. He receives 38 votes, against 11 for Antony Géros (Union for Democracy) and 8 for Teva Rohfritsch (A Ti'a Porinetia). Flosse announces his government with himself responsible for foreign affairs and Nuihau Laurey as vice-president and finance minister.

Siddaramaiah

India: In state elections in Karnataka, the Indian National Congress wins 121 of 224 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party 40, and Janata Dal (Secular) 40. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar resigns on May 8. On May 10, K. Siddaramaiah is designated to be chief minister; he is sworn in on May 13.
Malaysia: In parliamentary elections, the Barisan Nasional coalition wins 47.4% of the vote and 133 of 222 seats, while the Pakatan Rakyat coalition wins 50.9% of the vote but only 89 seats. Turnout is 84.8%. Results of state elections:

Johor: Barisan Nasional 38 of 56 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 18. On May 14 Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin is sworn in as chief minister.
Kedah: Barisan Nasional 21 of 36 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 15. On May 6 Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir is sworn in as chief minister.
Kelantan: Pakatan Rakyat 33 of 45 seats, Barisan Nasional 12. On May 6 Datuk Ahmad Yakob is sworn in as chief minister.
Malacca: Barisan Nasional 21 of 28 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 7. On May 7 Datuk Idris Haron is sworn in as chief minister.
Negeri Sembilan: Barisan Nasional 22 of 36 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 14.
Pahang: Barisan Nasional 30 of 42 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 12.
Penang: Pakatan Rakyat 30 of 40 seats, Barisan Nasional 10.
Perak: Barisan Nasional 31 of 59 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 28.
Perlis: Barisan Nasional 13 of 15 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 2. On May 7 Azlan Man is sworn in as chief minister.
Sabah: Barisan Nasional 48 of 60 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 11.
Selangor: Pakatan Rakyat 44 of 56 seats, Barisan Nasional 12.
Terengganu: Barisan Nasional 17 of 32 seats, Pakatan Rakyat 15.

In the cabinet named on May 15, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi exchange their portfolios.

6

Angola: In a cabinet reshuffle, Armando Manuel is named to replace Carlos Alberto Lopes as finance minister. He is sworn in on May 9.
Italy: Former prime minister (1972-73, 1976-79, 1989-92) and foreign minister (1983-89) Giulio Andreotti dies.
Liberia: Morris Dukuly is named internal affairs minister.

7

Argentina: Former governor of Santiago del Estero (1991-93) Carlos Mujica dies.

Vervoort

Belgium: Rudi Vervoort takes office as minister-president of Brussels-Capital.
Egypt: In a cabinet reshuffle, Fayyad Abdel Moneim is appointed finance minister.
Libya: Defense Minister Muhammad Mahmoud al-Bargathi resigns, but rescinds the resignation as the prime minister asks him to stay.

8

Armenia: David Sarkisyan is appointed finance minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Brazil: Former governor of Acre (1995-99) Orleir Messias Cameli dies.

9

Mexico: Former interim governor of Hidalgo (1998-99) Humberto Lugo Gil dies.
United States: Former governor of Pennsylvania (1955-59) George M. Leader dies.

10

Mexico: Former governor of Baja California Sur (1970-75) Félix Agramont Cota dies.
Vanuatu: Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil sacks Finance Minister Willie Jimmy, who is to be replaced by Maki Simelum.

11

Maldives: Ahmed Shafeeu becomes acting home affairs minister.
Pakistan: In parliamentary elections, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) wins 32.8% of the vote (176 of 342 seats), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf 16.9% (35), the Pakistan People's Party 15.2% (39), independents 13% (8), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement 5.4% (23), and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) 3.2% (14). Turnout is 55%.
United States: In mayoral elections in El Paso, Oscar Leeser wins 47.4% of the vote, Steve Ortega 21.7%, and Robert Cormell 12%. A runoff will be held June 15.

12

Oresharski

Vigenin

Bulgaria: In parliamentary elections, Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria wins 30.5% of the vote (97 of 240 seats), the Bulgarian Socialist Party 26.6% (84), the Movement for Rights and Freedoms 11.3% (36), and Ataka 7.3% (23). Turnout is 51.3%. On May 23 President Rosen Plevneliev asks Plamen Oresharski to form a government. The proposed cabinet is announced on May 27, with Kristian Vigenin as foreign minister, Angel Naidenov as defense minister, Tsvetlin Yovchev as interior minister, and Petur Chobanov as finance minister. On May 29 parliament elects Oresharski as prime minister (120-97) and approves the cabinet (119-98).

13

North Korea: Jang Jong Nam is reported to have replaced Kim Kyok Sik as armed forces minister.
Pakistan: The governor of Punjab, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood, resigns.
Philippines: In gubernatorial elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Mujiv Hataman wins about 59% of the vote, Pax Mangudadatu about 26%, and Nur Misuari about 13%.
Switzerland: Former president of the government of Schaffhausen (2004, 2007, 2010) Erhard Meister dies.

14

Canada: In parliamentary elections in British Columbia, the Liberal Party wins 44.4% of the vote (50 of 85 seats), the New Democratic Party 39.5% (33), the Green Party 8% (1), and the Conservative Party 4.8% (0).
United States: In mayoral elections in Jersey City, Steven Fulop wins 52.8% of the vote and incumbent Jerramiah Healy 37.8%. In Omaha, Jean Stothert wins 57.3% of the vote and incumbent Jim Suttle 42.3%.
World Trade Organization: Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo (Brazil) is appointed as the next director-general, to take office September 1.

Mohamed

15

Gherman

Guinea-Bissau: Former interim president (2003-05) Henrique Rosa dies.
Kenya: Raychelle Omamo is sworn in as defense minister and Henry Rotich as treasury minister. On May 19 Amina Mohamed is sworn in as foreign minister. On May 23 Joseph Ole Lenko is nominated as interior minister.
Moldova: President Nicolae Timofti nominates Iurie Leanca as prime minister. His cabinet is endorsed by parliament (58 of 101 members) on May 30 and sworn in on May 31; Natalia Gherman becomes foreign minister, while other key posts are unchanged.

Rivas

Peru: Eda Rivas is sworn in as new foreign minister following the resignation of Rafael Roncagliolo.

16

Sharma

India: Nirbhay Sharma is appointed governor of Arunachal Pradesh. He is sworn in on May 29.
Kosovo: Besim Beqaj is appointed finance minister.
Mauritania: Former foreign minister (1993-96) Mohamed Salem Ould Lekhal dies.
United States: The Senate confirms Ernest Moniz as energy secretary (97-0). He is sworn in on May 21.

17

Argentina: Former president (1976-81) Jorge Rafael Videla dies.
Germany: Former first mayor of Hamburg (1971-74) Peter Schulz dies.

18

South Korea: Former prime minister (1980-82) Nam Duck Woo dies.

20

Indonesia: Chatib Basri is appointed finance minister (sworn in May 21).

21

Sint Maarten: Four ministers including Finance Minister Roland S. Tuitt resign. On May 22 Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams tenders the resignation of the entire cabinet. On May 24 she is asked to form a new government.
United States: In the mayoral runoff in Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti wins 53.9% of the vote and Wendy Greuel 46.1%.

22

McLaughlin

Cayman Islands: In parliamentary elections, the People's Progressive Movement wins 36.1% of the vote (9 of 18 seats), the United Democratic Party 27.8% (3), the Coalition for Cayman 18.6% (3), independents 11.9% (2), and the People's National Alliance 5.7% (1). Turnout is 79.8%. Alden McLaughlin is appointed as premier on May 28 and sworn in on May 29 with a cabinet including himself as home affairs minister and Marco Archer as finance minister.

Gunnlaugsson

Sveinsson

Iceland: The new government is announced (taking office May 23), with Sigmundur Davíd Gunnlaugsson as prime minister, Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson as foreign minister, Bjarni Benediktsson as finance minister, and Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir as interior minister.

23

Czech Republic: The mayor of Praha, Bohuslav Svoboda, is dismissed. Tomás Hudecek becomes acting mayor.

Lucas

South Africa: Sylvia Lucas is elected and sworn in as premier of Northern Cape.

24

Ecuador: President Rafael Correa is inaugurated for his third term. Jorge Glas becomes vice president.
Uganda: Gen. Aronda Nyakairima is appointed internal affairs minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Vietnam: Dinh Tien Dung is appointed finance minister.

26

Equatorial Guinea: In parliamentary elections, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea wins 99 of 100 seats in the Chamber of People's Representatives and 54 of 55 elected seats in the Senate, while the Convergence for Social Democracy wins 1 in each house; 15 senators will be appointed by the president.
Indonesia: In gubernatorial elections in Jawa Tengah, Ganjar Pranowo wins 48.8% of the vote, incumbent Bibit Waluyo 30.3%, and Hadi Prabowo 20.9%.
Libya: Parliament approves the appointment of Muhammad Khalifa al-Sheikh as interior minister, to replace Ashur Shwayel (resigned).
Réunion: Former prefect (1986-89) Jean Anciaux dies.

27

Mali: Former prime minister (1993-94) Abdoulaye Sékou Sow dies.

28

Guinea: President Alpha Condé dismisses Security Minister Mouramani Cissé and appoints Madifing Diané in his place.
Libya: The chairman of the General National Congress, Muhammad al-Megarif, resigns. His first deputy Giuma Attaiga becomes acting chairman.
Nauru: Foreign and Finance Minister Roland Kun resigns. On May 30 President Sprent Dabwido assigns the portfolios to himself.
Switzerland: Laurent Kurth becomes president of the Council of State of Neuchâtel.

29

Turks and Caicos Islands: Peter Beckingham is appointed governor, to take office in October.

30

Argentina: In a cabinet reshuffle (effective June 3), Agustín Rossi is appointed defense minister, replacing Arturo Puricelli who becomes security minister.
Pakistan: Syed Qaim Ali Shah is elected chief minister of Sindh, securing 86 votes against 48 for Syed Sardar Ahmed and 18 for Imtiaz Sheikh.

31

Bhutan: In the first round of parliamentary elections, the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa wins 44.5% of the vote, the People's Democratic Party 32.5%, the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa 17%, and the Druk Chirwang Tshogpa 5.9%. Turnout is 55.3%. The second round will be held on July 13, when the seats will be allocated among the two strongest parties.
China: Du Jiahao is elected governor of Hunan.
Pakistan: Pervez Khattak is elected chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, receiving 84 votes in the provincial assembly, against 37 for Maulana Lutfur Rehman.